It is known in the art for rear second and third row vehicle seats to be removed from a passenger compartment to increase cargo space, and to re-install those seats to provide for increased passenger seating. Most van and mini-van type vehicles provide for removable rear seats to accommodate different uses for such vehicles.
Such removable seats typically have a release handle operatively installed to remove the vehicle seat from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Such release handles may be a strap, lever or a generally U-shaped handle projecting rearwardly from the back of the seat. The release handles generally connect to a latching and release mechanism which attaches the vehicle seat to a vehicle floor. When the handle is pulled, the latching and release mechanism releases the vehicle seat thereby allowing the user to remove the vehicle seat from the passenger compartment. The release handle can be inadvertently unlatched.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have to a removable rear seat assembly having a release handle configured to prevent inadvertent release and unlatching of a vehicle seat assembly.